1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to dispensers for supporting a rolled supply of adhesive tape or other material relative to an individual's hand and, more specifically, is directed to a C-shaped clamp or bracket which is engageable over the back of an individual's hand and to which a conventional disposable tape dispenser may be frictionally engaged to thereby support the dispenser on the back of an individual's hand so that the dispenser is readily available for dispensing tape without having to relocate the dispenser for each use and in such a manner that there is no interference with the normal dexterity of the individual's thumb or fingers.
2. History of the Related Art
In applicant's previous patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,864, entitled HAND CLASP TAPE DISPENSER, a portable dispenser for dispensing a variety of tape materials is disclosed which incorporates a tape dispenser integrally formed with a C-shaped clamp which is engageable over the back of an individual's hand. Unlike previous hand supported dispensing devices, applicant's previous invention was directed to a dispenser which is easily mounted to the back of an individual's hand so as not to interfere with the normal use of the fingers and thumb. Further, the dispenser allowed for a supply of tape to be dispensed from the dispenser towards a cutting edge mounted in vertically spaced relationship with respect to the individual's thumb so that by a normal rolling action of the hand, tape could be dispensed and thereafter cut utilizing a normal hand motion. Such a dispenser provides a distinct advantage over prior tape dispensers in that the dispenser is always positively engaged with the individual's hand in such a position that the individual is not adversely affected by the positioning of the tape supply relative thereto. However, the dispenser was designed to allow replacement of rolls or spools of tape of a conventional size so that when one roll of tape had been exhausted, a replacement roll could easily be mounted to the dispenser.
Unfortunately, replacement rolls of tape are not always available in conventional retail stores and sometimes must be purchased from specialty office supply stores which are not readily available to the consumer. Therefore, consumers continue to utilize conventional disposable type adhesive tape and other dispensers which are purchased during routine shopping outings and such dispensers are conventionally sold in retail food and drug chain outlets. Such dispensers are not designed nor configured to be effectively retained or mounted to an individual's hand during their use. At some time, most individuals have experienced the frustration of wrapping numerous packages utilizing tape mounted to a disposable dispenser. During the packaging, the disposable tape dispenser is frequently misplaced and/or obscured thereby resulting in a great deal of inconvenience to the individual doing the wrapping.
Recently manufacturers of conventional adhesive tape have begun selling disposable dispensers which include cardboard backings which are mechanically secured to a plastic dispensing frame. Such dispensers are even bulkier than previous dispensers in that the cardboard backing is generally of a greater size than the plastic dispensing frame. Further, during dispensing, the cardboard frequently is deformed and pushed into an area where the cardboard interferes with the normal unreeling of a tape from the supply spool. Similar problems occur not only with adhesive tapes but with dispensers for ribbons, strings and other items which are wound on rolls or spools from which a selected length of material must be severed.
Prior to applicant's tape dispenser as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,864, there were other dispensers which were designed to be engaged over a person's wrist or supported by the individual's fingers. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,230 to Oakes, an adhesive tape dispenser is disclosed having one or more openings through which a person's fingers may be extended to support the dispenser relative to the hand. Such a dispenser offers the ability to allow an individual to use both hands when dispensing the tape, however, as with applicant's prior invention, the dispenser is designed to accept only replacement spools of tape and is not designed to be utilized with conventional disposable tape dispensers which are mounted on disposable housings and not replaceable rolls or spools. Further, and as discussed in applicant's prior patent, the structure disclosed requires that the dispenser housing be supported by one or more fingers so that the physical dexterity of the individual is interfered with during tasks such as wrapping, holding, and supporting packages relative to the tape dispenser. Further, the patent to Oakes discloses different embodiments of dispensers which are designed alternatively for left or right hand use thereby requiring additional expenses in manufacturing to supply left or right hand dispensers.
In addition to the patent to Oakes, other prior art patents have dealt with providing carriers for attaching replaceable tape spools to an individual's wrist or forearm. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,936 to Suter, a masking tape dispenser is disclosed which includes a wristlet which is engageable over the forearm and from which a stud is mounted so as to support replaceable rolls of masking tape. Unfortunately, such a dispenser does not provide a cutting element and the dispenser is spaced at a distance from the individual's fingers so that it is difficult to urge only a small portion of the tape from the roll. Therefore, with such a device, frequently too much tape is dispensed leaving a free end portion of the tape dangling from the roll which portion mst be severed and disposed of before a new length of tape is dispensed. A similar type of dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,245 to Delehoy.
One prior art patent which has dealt with the problem of providing a mounting device for supporting conventional portable tape dispensers as opposed to tape supply rolls is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,152 to Trankle. This patent discloses a flexible support strap which is engageable about an individual's wrist and which is secured at its ends by conventional hook and loop fabric fasteners such as VELCRO. Mounted intermediate the length of the strap is a resilient and compressible cylinder which may be made of a material such as neoprene which is mounted on a shaft between flange elements which are compressed upon the rotation of a mechanical fastener, such as a conventional wing nut, so that as the wing nut is rotated, the neoprene core is caused to expand against the sidewalls defining the central opening which is conventionally found in most disposable tape dispensers and many non-disposable tape dispensers. In this manner, the patent does disclose a means for fastening portable tape dispensers relative to an individual's wrist. However, the device disclosed requires that the dispenser be mounted along the individual's forearm or wrist at a position wherein the supply of tape is remote from the individual's fingers. As with other types of spool type dispensers, such as those to Oakes and Suter, the tape must be extended well beyond the cutting mechanism associated with the housing to which the tape is mounted when being dispensed thereby leaving excess tape dangling from the dispenser after a segment of tape has been used. In addition, with the tape dispenser mounted on the individual's wrist or forearm, it is not possible to use normal hand dexterity to urge a section of tape from the supply roll with one hand and thereafter roll the other hand to create a severing of the tape as is possible and was discussed with respect to applicant's previous patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,864. Band-like mounts of a configuration as disclosed in Trankle which are worn on an individual's wrist will also frequently rotate about the wrist during use unless an excess of force has been utilized to apply the band to the wrist which would not be comfortable to the individual.
Other dispensers which are designed to be supported by an individual's hand are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,664,252 to Glew, and 4,084,692 to Bilweis.
There have been numerous other devices designed for supporting different articles relative to an individual's hand. However, none of these devices provide a means for supporting conventional disposable tape dispensers and do not include structure which would permit such use. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 181,755 to Webster, 1,139,942 to Wightman et al., 1,766,478 to Baker et al., 3,723,766 to Cosentino, 3,503,546 to Hunt, and 4,606,484 to Winter et al.